Hackers nab 500,000 Oz credit card numbers

Aussie police say that hackers targeting merchant computer systems may have stolen half a million credit card numbers and racked up A$25 million in fraudulent transactions.

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Hackers nab 500,000 Oz credit card numbers

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This content has been selected, created and edited by the Finextra editorial team based upon its relevance and interest to our community.

The Australian Federal Police confirmed to local press that it is in the midst of investigating the gang, believed to by Eastern European, which has hit the systems of several merchants.

According to SC Magazine, the attacks could be the work of crooks that targeted US Subway restaurants late last year. In both cases, the hackers installed keylogging software on POS terminals to obtain card data, siphoning it through an insecure open Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol connection, says the mag.

Australian banks have placed cards on high alert in a bid to head off fraudulent transactions while the AFP, working with police from other countries, prepares to swoop on the gang.

Half a million credit cards stolen from Aussie business - SC Magazine

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Comments: (2)

A Finextra member 

So ...

a small Australian business with half a million credit cards on record - that's a lot isn't it?  Also, the article doesn't say they racked up A$25 million, it says they could potentially rack up this amount.

I think that we would all be much more interested in knowing how much ACTUAL fraud there was, rather than being frightened by a big number that works out at around A$50 per card.  

What's the real fraud, and how are the crims going to get to the magic number of 25 mill?

 

David Birch

David Birch Grand Poo-Bah at Tomorrow's Transactions

They "may" have stolen half a million credit card numbers? Did they or didn't they?

(Remember "How to get ahead in advertising" -- the bag "may" have contained a pork pie)

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